Written Answers Friday 25 February 2005

Scottish Executive

Airports

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have been held in the last year regarding the possibility of buying out the PFI at Inverness Airport and what plans it has in respect of the enhancement of services around the airport, in particular the provision of transport links to Inverness.

Nicol Stephen: Discussions have been held with Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) on several occasions – at official and ministerial level - over the last year regarding the review of the PFI contract at Inverness airport terminal and the impact of a buy-out on the airport and the wider economy. With the support of the Executive, HIAL is now seeking to secure the buy-out of the contract. HIAL will be aiming to secure best value for the taxpayer in these sensitive negotiations and an announcement will be made at their conclusion.

  As part of the freight and business park development at Inverness airport, there are long-term goals to develop park and ride facilities and provide a rail halt at the airport. A study is currently being carried out into the upgrading of the A96 from the airport turn off to Inverness. HIAL will continue to discuss the improvement of public transport services to the airport with transport operators.

Airports

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was consulted by BAA on the proposal to reduce firefighting services at Glasgow Airport and the impact that this would have on the emergency services within the Executive's responsibility.

Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14038 on 23 February 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Alcohol Misuse

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each NHS board area have been diagnosed with alcoholic liver disease in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age and (b) gender.

Rhona Brankin: Information on the number of patients diagnosed with alcoholic liver disease in Scotland by year of admission showing age and sex has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35462). In areas where the number of cases is very small a total only is shown.

Alcohol Misuse

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each NHS board area have been diagnosed with alcohol-induced pancreatitis in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age and (b) gender.

Rhona Brankin: Information on the number of patients diagnosed with alcohol-induced pancreatitis in Scotland by year of admission showing age, sex and area of residence has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35461). Due to the relatively small numbers involved in some health board areas, an age/sex breakdown is provided at Scotland level only.

Alcohol Misuse

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each NHS board area have been diagnosed with alcoholic gastritis in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age and (b) gender.

Rhona Brankin: Information on the number of patients diagnosed with alcoholic gastritis in Scotland by year of admission showing age, sex and area of residence has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35460). Due to the relatively small numbers involved in some health board areas, an age/sex breakdown is provided at Scotland level only.

Alcohol Misuse

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each NHS board area have been diagnosed with alcoholic cardiomyopathy in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age and (b) gender.

Rhona Brankin: Information on the number of patients diagnosed with alcoholic cardiomyopathy in Scotland by year of admission showing age, sex and area of residence has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35459). Due to the relatively small numbers involved in some health board areas, an age/sex breakdown is provided at Scotland level only.

Alcohol Misuse

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each NHS board area have been diagnosed with alcoholic polyneuropathy in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age and (b) gender.

Rhona Brankin: Information on the number of patients diagnosed with alcoholic polyneuropathy in Scotland by year of admission showing age, sex and area of residence has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35458). Due to the relatively small numbers involved in some health board areas, an age/sex breakdown is provided at Scotland level only.

Alcohol Misuse

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each NHS board area have been diagnosed with degeneration of the nervous system due to alcohol in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age and (b) gender.

Rhona Brankin: Information on the number of patients diagnosed with degeneration of the nervous system due to alcohol in Scotland by year of admission showing age, sex and area of residence has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35457). Due to the relatively small numbers involved in some health board areas, an age/sex breakdown is provided at Scotland level only.

Alcohol Misuse

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each NHS board area have been diagnosed with mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age and (b) gender.

Rhona Brankin: Information on the number of patients diagnosed with mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol in Scotland by year of admission showing age and sex has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35456). In areas where the number of cases is very small a total only is shown.

Antisocial Behaviour

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the provisions for (a) antisocial behaviour orders for under-16s, (b) dispersal orders, (c) closure notices, (d) fixed penalty notices for noise nuisance, (e) antisocial behaviour notices, (f) parenting orders, (g) restriction of liberty orders for under-16s and (h) charges of people selling spray paint to under-16s have been used since the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 received Royal Assent.

Hugh Henry: The Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 received Royal Assent on 26 July 2004. Many of the measures came into force on 28 October, including antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) for under 16s, dispersal of groups and closure of premises. Other measures have either come into force since then, such as the ban on sales of spray paint to under 16s (5 November 2004) and fixed penalty notices for noise offences (28 February 2005) or will come into force in the coming months. Parenting orders and restriction of liberty orders for under 16s will become available in April, while commencement of antisocial behaviour notices is planned for November 2005.

  Information on use of the measures in the act will be collected and published on a regular basis as part of the monitoring and evaluation of the act. To end February 2005, there have been no antisocial behaviour orders made in respect of persons under 16 and the dispersal power has not yet been used, although we understand forces are planning to do so. The first closure order was made on 21 January 2005 and we know that at least three closure orders have been made to date.

Asylum Seekers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any staff within its areas of responsibility have authority to restrain asylum seekers (a) inside and (b) outwith Dungavel House immigration removal centre.

Malcolm Chisholm: The management and operation of Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre is the responsibility of the Home Office.

  Outwith Dungavel, Scotland’s police force, prison service or medical staff may use retraint on asylum seekers as they would for any other individual. Also, Scottish ministers have statutory responsibility for transferring mentally ill persons detained under the Immigration Act to hospital. These powers are contained in Section 71 of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984. The use of restraint under the mental health act would be the same for asylum seekers as for any other person.

Children (Contact) and Adoption Bill

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with the UK Government regarding measures in the draft Children (Contact) and Adoption Bill.

Euan Robson: We have had discussions with the UK Government about both main parts of the draft bill. We are currently carrying out our own reforms of family law but will monitor the progress of the provisions on contact between children and parents, and implications for the law in Scotland. We are continuing our discussions with the UK Government on the provisions to restrict adoptions from certain countries, and we are considering how similar provisions might be implemented here.

Children's Panels

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether recruitment, training and retention of children’s panel members is sufficient to meet panel commitments and what progress is being made with the review of the Children's Hearing System.

Euan Robson: With respect to recruitment and retention I refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-12918, answered on 22 December 2004 and S2W-13227. answered on 21 January 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

  In respect of training, in 2004 a training needs analysis of panel members and a work load review of the training service were conducted. Subsequently the Scottish Executive has resourced additional capacity within the training units to ensure that training needs can be delivered.

  Consultation on Phase 2 of the review will begin shortly.

Crime

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5082 by Colin Boyd QC on 22 January 2004, how much money was collected under the Proceeds of Crime (Scotland) Act 1995 relating to drugs offences in (a) 2003-04 and (b) 2004-05 to date.

Colin Boyd QC: During the financial year 2003-04 the sum of £1,136,323.68 was recovered following Confiscation Orders under the Proceeds of Crime (Scotland) Act 1995 in respect of drug offences. The sum of £162,126.57 has so far been collected during the financial year 2004-05.

Defence

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any correspondence with the Ministry of Defence regarding any proposals to test a new electromagnetic supergun at the Dundrennan firing range and whether it has any concerns regarding the safety of the environment as a result of such tests.

Allan Wilson: There has been no correspondence with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) regarding any proposals to test a new electromagnetic supergun at the Dundrennan firing range. The MoD has advised the Scottish Executive that representatives of Dumfries and Galloway Council have visited the range at the invitation of the MoD and have seen the test firing and, as far as MoD is aware, are content.

  The MoD also advises that the existing gun hardware (rather than a new supergun) has been used for tests for the US Navy. Since there was nothing new in these limited tests, the MoD did not consider it necessary to consult with any external organisations, since the conditions were the same as have been used without incident for the past decade or so.

Energy

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps were taken to secure for Scotland the headquarters of the recently-established United Kingdom Energy Research Centre.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has had no involvement in deciding the location of the headquarters of the United Kingdom Energy Research Centre. This decision was taken by a consortium of the relevant research institutions.

Environment

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many calls the "Dumb Dumpers" hotline has received in each month since it was established.

Ross Finnie: The amount of calls received monthly by the "Dumb Dumpers" stop line since it commenced on 9 March 2004 is as follows:

  

March 2004
266


April 2004
173


May 2004
116


June 2004
189


July 2004
120


August 2004
105


September 2004
86


October 2004
67


November 2004
74


December 2004
41


January 2005
68


Total
1,305



  These figures were supplied by Keep Scotland Beautiful.

Finance

Christine May (Central Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish its first Scottish Infrastructure Investment Plan by the end of February.

Mr Tom McCabe: Today the Infrastructure Investment Plan was published. Copies have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35376) and I am also sending a personal copy to each MSP.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to ensure that fishing quotas are only allocated to active fishermen.

Ross Finnie: The distribution of fishing quotas is one of a number of issues which will be addressed in a forthcoming review of the UK’s quota management arrangements.

Football

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of investment in the action plan for youth football was redirected from existing investment in youth football development and what the sources of that investment were.

Patricia Ferguson: As was made clear when the Action Plan for Scottish Youth Football was launched on 30 March 2004, planned investment of £2.2 million in youth football by the Executive and  sportscotland is being redirected to supporting the implementation of the action plan. This comprises £1.2 million of Exchequer funds and £1 million of Lottery funds. In addition to this some £8.9 million of existing funding by the Scottish Football Association and local authorities for community based programmes is to be redirected to supporting the action plan.

General Register Office for Scotland

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13295 by Tavish Scott on 28 January 2005, when the General Register Office for Scotland will complete its review of the data it publishes on its website; when and where the details of the additional data to be provided will be published, and when the additional data will appear on its website.

Tavish Scott: It is intended that the review will be completed in the spring of this year. Some initial enhancements are planned to coincide with the publication of the Registrar General’s Annual Review of Demographic Trends at the end of July. Details of further enhancements, to be made during the remainder of 2005, will be made available at the same time.

Housing

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications for housing have been refused in the last three years due to lack of water and sewerage infrastructure capacity, broken down by planning committee area.

Johann Lamont: This information is not held centrally.

Individual Learning Accounts

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is now able to provide the full costs of individual learning accounts (ILA) and the number of applicants who have sought such support to date, broken down by local authority area.

Mr Jim Wallace: The total cost to date (since 2003-04) for ILA Scotland is £6.2 million. This figure incorporates system development, quality assurance and marketing, project development and management costs and operational costs since scheme launch in December 2004.

  Three hundred and eighty-one learners have sought ILA Scotland support to date. This relates to courses booked.

  The table details the breakdown by local authority.

  

 Local Authority 
 Number of Bookings 


 Aberdeen City 
 13 


 Aberdeenshire 
 23 


 Angus 
 2 


 Argyll and Bute 
 3 


 Borders 
 1 


 Clackmannanshire 
 0 


 Dumfries and Galloway 
 46 


 Dundee 
 0 


 East Ayrshire 
 2 


 East Dunbartonshire 
 6 


 East Lothian 
 10 


 East Renfrewshire 
 10 


 Edinburgh City 
 33 


 Falkirk 
 0 


 Fife 
 42 


 Glasgow City 
 18 


 Highland 
 26 


 Inverclyde 
 7 


 Midlothian 
 6

Justice

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports procurators fiscal received from each police force in 2002-03 and, of these, how many (a) were marked "no proceedings" on account of delay on the part of the reporting agency, (b) proceeded to trial, (c) resulted in a conviction and (d) are currently pending.

Elish Angiolini QC: As was set out in the answer to S2W-7838 on 11 May 2004, data for 2003-04 indicates that there has been an overall reduction in the number of cases marked no proceedings because of police delay in Strathclyde of around 70% and across Scotland of 60%.

  The information requested for 2002-03, which does not include any figures for cases where no proceedings are taken on other grounds or which are dealt with by way of alternatives to proceedings such as conditional offers of fixed penalties and fiscal fines, is as follows:

  Reports Received from the Police in 2002-03

  

Agency Name
Number of Cases
No Proceedings on Account of Delay by Reporting Agency
Proceeded to Trial: Evidence led from Witnesses
Reports Resulting in a Conviction
Pending Cases


Central Scotland Police
14,879
264
407
6,547
647


Dumfries and Galloway Police
7,640
60
189
3,718
319


Fife Constabulary
14,776
221
386
6,135
1,173


Grampian Police
18,019
213
552
10,365
1,316


Lothian and Borders Police
34,934
1,482
1,484
15,485
1,664


Northern Constabulary
13,437
142
464
6,534
556


Strathclyde Police
148,175
12,921
5,674
46,661
13,071


Tayside Police
23,115
97
970
11,908
1,527


British Transport Police
1,692
9
40
466
134


Other
64
2
8
10
8


Total
276,731
15,411
10,174
107,829
21,218



  Notes:

  1. Delay by reporting agency figures now also include those marked no-pro time-bar as being time-barred upon receipt.

  2. "Reports resulting in a conviction" includes cases where accused pleaded guilty before trial.

  3. "Pending Cases" includes cases which do not have a status of "closed" in our case management system as at 1 June 2004. It includes cases where criminal proceedings have started but not yet concluded, cases where there is an outstanding warrant and cases which have resulted in conviction but the sentence has been deferred or proceedings have been re-activated because of a breach of community order or a current appeal, It is therefore possible that a case will also be recorded in another column in this table.

Justice

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many actions for damages relating to personal injuries have been raised in the Court of Session in each of the last three years.

Hugh Henry: The latest information available is for the years 2000, 2001 and 2002 and is given in Table 2.3, page number 6 of Civil Judicial Statistics published by the Scottish Executive in years 2001, 2002 and 2004 copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. numbers 19702, 26040 and 31061).

Justice

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the actions for damages relating to personal injuries in the Court of Session in each of the last three years were considered appropriate for jury trial.

Hugh Henry: A jury trial is fixed in, on average, about three per cent of personal injury cases. The number of jury trials that proceeded were:

  

2002
5


2003
3


2004
4

Justice

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average duration of a civil jury trial in the Court of Session was in each of the last three years.

Hugh Henry: The average duration of a civil jury trial, in the Court of Session in each of the last three years was as follows:

  

2002
3.2 days


2003
3.7 days


2004
3.7 days

Justice

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on civil jury trials in the Court of Session in each of the last three years, broken down by category of spending.

Hugh Henry: The expenditure is shown in the table below.

  

Civil Jury Trial Costs
2001-02
(£)
2002-03
(£)
2003-04
(£)


Judicial
14,360.07
14,127.03
18,373.47


Staff
10,959.89
10,527.83
11,807.13


Accommodation
3,608.24
3,048.68
4,302.81


Other Costs*
3,684.70
3,686.38
8,388.27


Jury
8,200.00
4,800.00
5,600.00


Total Cost
40,812.90
36,189.92
48,471.69



  Notes: *Other costs include costs not directly attributable to staff and accommodation (e.g. stationery, publications, telephones).

Justice

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average duration of a civil proof, excluding civil jury trials, in the Court of Session was in each of the last three years.

Hugh Henry: The average duration of a civil proof in each of 2002, 2003 and 2004 was 3.9 days, 3.5 days and three days respectively.

  

2002
3.9 days


2003
3.5 days


2004
3 days

Justice

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on civil proofs, excluding civil jury trials, in the Court of Session in each of the last three years, broken down by category of spending.

Hugh Henry: The expenditure is shown in the attached table.

  

Civil Proof Costs
2001-02
(£)
2002-03
(£)
2003-04
(£)


Judicial
266,558.76
462,339.28
287,413.56


Staff
203,442.92
344,547.29
184,697.32


Accommodation
66,977.98
99,774.85
67,308.31


Other Costs*
68,397.30
120,645.14
131,216.54


Total Cost
605,376.96
1027,306.55
670,635.72



  Note: *Other costs include costs not directly attributable to staff and accommodation (eg stationery, publications, telephones).

Justice

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has carried out of the cost implications of civil jury trials in the Court of Session and when the next assessment is planned.

Hugh Henry: We have no immediate plans to review the current entitlement, under the court rules, for a pursuer to seek resolution of a case by the use of a civil jury trial. Such trials are relatively rarely sought and it is even more rare for a civil jury trial to proceed.

Licensing

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences to sell alcohol have been withdrawn as a result of a breach of the licence in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area and showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive does not collect these statistics centrally. The Criminal Justice Statistics Unit within the Scottish Executive does, however, maintain and publish an annual series of Statistical Bulletins on Liquor Licences in Scotland. In 2003, statistics on the total number of licences that were suspended were collected for the first time.

  Nineteen licences were suspended. This figure is broken down into local authority areas as follows:

  

Local Authority
Number of Licences Suspended


Aberdeen City
2


Aberdeenshire
2


Angus
1


Dundee City
4


East Renfrewshire
1


City of Edinburgh
3


North Ayrshire
2


North Lanarkshire
2


Scottish Borders
1


South Lanarkshire
1


Total
19

Licensing

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has produced for licensees on the responsible promotion of alcohol.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has not yet  produced any guidance for licensees on the responsible promotion of alcohol. The Licensing (Scotland) Bill was introduced to Parliament on 28 February. The bill contains a number of measures that support ministers ’ objectives of tackling binge and under-age drinking. Specifically, it outlaws nationally those irresponsible drinks promotions that can lead to binge drinking.

  Ministers intend to issue guidance to licensees as part of their implementation of the new regime.

NHS Finance

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what capital funds will be made available to NHS boards for (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07 and (c) 2007-08.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS boards have been given formula* capital allocations of £220 million for 2005-06, £266 million for 2006-07 and £321 million for 2007-08. Island Board allocations include an island uplift supplement. Details of each NHS board’s allocation is as follows:

  NHSScotland Formula Capital Allocations 2005-06 to 2007-08

  

NHS Board
2005-06
(£m)
%
Increase over 2004-05
2006-07
(£m)
%
Increase over 2005-06
2007-08
(£m)
%
Increase over 2006-07
% Increase From 2005-06 to 2007-08


Argyll and Clyde
15.647
8.87
18.777
20.00
22.546
20.07
44.09


Ayrshire and Arran
14.686
9.68
17.623
20.00
21.161
20.07
44.09


Borders
4.152
11.24
4.982
19.99
5.983
20.08
44.10


Dumfries and Galloway
6.294
10.61
7.553
20.01
9.069
20.08
44.09


Fife
12.084
10.56
14.501
20.00
17.412
20.07
44.09


Forth Valley
10.017
10.95
12.020
20.00
14.433
20.07
44.09


Grampian
19.316
9.82
23.179
20.00
27.832
20.07
44.09


Greater Glasgow
55.633
9.16
66.760
20.00
80.162
20.08
44.09


Highland
9.321
11.46
11.185
20.00
13.431
20.08
44.09


Lanarkshire
19.703
12.13
23.644
20.00
28.390
20.07
44.09


Lothian
33.759
9.94
40.511
20.00
48.644
20.08
44.09


Orkney
0.537
10.37
0.645
20.05
0.774
20.05
44.13


Shetland
0.597
9.96
0.716
20.01
0.860
20.12
44.05


Tayside
16.898
9.41
20.276
19.99
24.347
20.07
44.08


Western Isles
1.356
13.73
1.628
20.03
1.954
20.05
44.10


Total
220.000
 
264.000
 
317.000
 
 



  Note: *Capital funds are allocated to NHS boards using the Arbuthnott formula adjusted for cross boundary flows and weighted for the provision of regional specialities.

  Allocations to Special Health Boards for the three year period are as follows:

  

 
2005-06
(£m)
2006-07
(£m)
2007-08
(£m)


NHS National Services Scotland
5.0
5.3
5.3


Scottish Ambulance Service
10.4
11.4
11.7


State Hospital
4.8
5.3
5.8


Golden Jubilee National Hospital
13.5
3.5
3.3


NHS 24
2.7
2.0
2.0



  Note: Special boards are given sufficient funds to meet planned projects.

People with Disabilities

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will adopt the recommendations made in Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People, published by the UK Cabinet Office in January 2005.

Malcolm Chisholm: We note the UK Government’s report with interest. It has no specific recommendations for action by the Scottish Executive. We are continuing to pursue a range of activities to support disabled people and, where appropriate, to work with the UK Government.

Roads

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13283 by Nicol Stephen on 24 January 2005, why West Kilbride was omitted from all directional informatory signage on the A78 Three Towns Bypass, other than that referred to in the answer and what action it will now take to ensure that West Kilbride is added to all appropriate signs along the length of the bypass.

Nicol Stephen: The present level of signing for West Kilbride, as described in the answer to question S2W-13283 on 24 January 2005, is considered appropriate.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search.

Scottish Enterprise

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the business case for the establishment of the intermediary technology institutes by Scottish Enterprise.

Mr Jim Wallace: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

Scottish Enterprise

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the targets it has set in respect of outputs for the intermediary technology institutes.

Mr Jim Wallace: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

Scottish Executive

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements have been made to the Executive’s operation by its Changing to Deliver Division.

Mr Tom McCabe: Changing to Deliver Division was set up in late 2002 to take forward the Scottish Executive’s Changing to Deliver cultural change and reform programme.

  Changing to Deliver was launched as a two-year programme of centrally managed activities and projects, complemented by action at local level within departments to promote business improvement and improve communications. The programme has four broad themes: developing leadership; outcomes; outward focus, and corporate processes. Changing to Deliver Division provided an overall programme management function, as well as undertaking direct responsibility for a number of projects and supporting culture change activities within departments.

  The division has contributed to improving the Executive’s operation through the key products and achievements of Changing to Deliver. These include:

  Improved leadership, through promoting better internal communications and the sharing of knowledge and information across the organisation. Staff’s positive rating of leadership in the Executive is almost twice as high as in a benchmark group of other UK government departments and public sector organisations.

  Improved outcomes, through introducing a major new training programme on open, engaged and evidence-based policymaking, and developing networks to share good practice amongst policy makers and celebrate excellence and innovation.

  Improved outward focus, through promoting a culture of openness and information sharing, for example through better and easier-to-access policy consultations, a programme of internal and external secondments, and the publication of a "Who’s Who" chart for external stakeholders. Over 70% of the 824 stakeholders surveyed in autumn 2004 were satisfied with their dealings with the Executive in the previous year and two-thirds considered that the Executive’s approach to working with other organisations has got better since devolution.

  Improved processes, for example through initiatives to reinforce sound financial management across the organisation; the introduction of a new HR strategy; streamlining business planning processes, and introducing a balanced scorecard to support strategic planning and performance management.

  The centrally managed programme of activity was mainstreamed in autumn 2004. The division is now building on change activity already underway by focusing on performance management, improved approaches to corporate internal communications and continued development of policy-making and stakeholder engagement.

Scottish Executive Procurement

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on (a) indoor bought plants, (b) indoor hired plants, (c) outdoor bought plants and (d) outdoor hired plants in each year since 1999.

Mr Tom McCabe: The spend on indoor bought plants in 2003-04 and 2004-05 was £19,173 and £18,083 respectively. Prior to 2003-04 spend was contained within annual maintenance expenditure and cannot be separated out.

  The spend on outdoor plants is contained within annual maintenance expenditure and cannot be separated out.

  No plants have been hired since 1999.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the contract awarded to the Student Loans Company Ltd (SLC) to administer the debt portfolio on behalf of private owners was continued at the end of its initial period; whether there were any variations to this contract, and, if so, what those variations are.

Mr Jim Wallace: The first debt sale was concluded in March 1998 being sold to Greenwich Natwest (GNW), a division of National Westminster, now Royal Bank of Scotland (RBoS). SLC were appointed to undertake the day-to-day administration. The original contract was for five years from March 1998 and SLC successfully negotiated renewal for a further five years administration period commencing March 2003. There are no variations in the contract.

  The second portfolio was concluded in March 1999 and the purchaser was a consortium comprising Deutsche Bank, AG London and Nationwide Building Society. SLC were awarded a five year contract to administer the portfolio. The original contract expired in March 2004 and the debt owners took the decision to award the contract for administration to another agency. The key terms and conditions of the loan are all protected.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether student loans are a disincentive to potential students from ethnic minority backgrounds to enter higher education.

Mr Jim Wallace: Student loans have been an integral part of an affordable student funding system since 1990. The most recent information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency and the Scottish Further Education Council, gives details over the five year period from 1998-99 until 2002-03. This shows that the number of students from ethnic minority backgrounds who have entered higher education in this period has increased and continues to exceed the proportion of the general population who are from an ethnic minority background.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether student loans are a disincentive to potential mature students to enter higher education.

Mr Jim Wallace: The number of students aged 25 and over receiving support from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland has remained broadly unchanged since the introduction of a wholly loan based system of living cost support in 1999. This would suggest that potential mature students do not regard the current student loans arrangement as a disincentive.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether student loans are a disincentive to potential students from less affluent backgrounds to enter higher education.

Mr Jim Wallace: Loans have been an integral part of an affordable student funding system since 1990. We do, however, appreciate that some students from less affluent backgrounds may be concerned about accruing debt while they study. That is why, in 2001, the Executive introduced the non-repayable Young Student’s Bursary (YSB) to replace part of the loan to which eligible young full-time students from low-income backgrounds are entitled. This will reduce the level of debt which such students would otherwise have on graduation.

  I recently announced that, from 2005-06, the maximum annual support provided through YSB will be increased by 11% to £2,395. The parental income threshold has also been increased. These changes mean that approximately 3,000 additional students will now be able to receive the bursary and approximately 20,000 will receive the maximum bursary.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the interest rates set for student loans were in each year since the system was introduced.

Mr Jim Wallace: The rate of interest applied to student loans is equal to the annual change in the retail price index. This is applied to maintain the value of the amount borrowed in real terms.

  1990 - 9.8%.

  1991 - 5.8%

  1992 - 3.9%

  1993 - 1.2%

  1994 - 2.3%

  1995 - 3.5%

  1996 - 2.7%

  1997 - 2.6%

  1998 - 3.5%

  1999 - 2.1%

  2000 - 2.6%

  2001 - 2.3%

  2002 - 1.3%

  2003 - 3.1%

  2004 - 2.6%

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5272 by Mr Jim Wallace on 27 January 2004, whether the model of student repayments has now been completed and, if so, whether it will provide an illustration of the effects on annual income flows.

Mr Jim Wallace: Future repayments depend on a wide range or factors, and are therefore difficult to forecast. In the past year work has been carried out to improve the student loans repayment model. There has been extensive testing, though, as with all models, it will be subject to further analysis and refinement.

  The table summarises the model’s results for the loan repayments, at different thresholds, from April 2006. From April 2005, the threshold will be £15,000.

  Loan Repayments (to the Nearest £5 Million)

  

Threshold
2006
2007
2008


£10,000
75
105
145


£15,000
35
60
90


£19,000
20
35
55


£25,000
5
10
20



  Note: Student loans are treated as outwith total managed expenditure, which means that the net costs are met by HM Treasury (gross student loan advances less student loan repayments). This income is the repayment of a debtor balance within the balance sheet. This "income" (loan repayments) and the loan advances are shown in the Budget Act to meet the requirements of section 1 of the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000. At the year-end these figures are reflected within the balance sheet and not within the Operating Cost statement.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the graduate endowment is predicted to have on the repayment of student loans.

Mr Jim Wallace: The amount of student loan that a graduate repays each month and the period of time over which repayments are made are linked to the level of the borrower’s income and the amount borrowed. Under the support arrangements introduced in 2001-02, many students who will be liable to pay the endowment when they graduate will have been eligible to receive the Young Students Bursary in place of part of their loan entitlement. Most liable graduates will have borrowed less under the current arrangements than they would have under the previous system. No student should have borrowed more.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has paid in subsidies for student loans sold in 1998 and 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: Debt sale subsidy payments by the Scottish Executive to 2003-04 in respect of student loans total £62,527,000. However, the cost of these payments is offset in the Executive’s balance sheet against the debt sale subsidy provision, created when the loans were sold, and thus are a nil cost annually.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish the findings of its research into student poverty and graduate debt.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive intend to publish the findings from the Scottish Student Income and Expenditure Survey in summer 2005.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deferral applications the Student Loans Company Ltd has received in each year of its operation, giving the percentage which this represents of all graduates who should have been in repayment status.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is given in table 8 on page 56 of the Student Loans Company Ltd’s annual report for 2002-03 published by the Student Loans Company in November 2003, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 31394).

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what change was made in the accounting treatment of student loans in 2001.

Mr Jim Wallace: Student loans were accounted for on a cash basis until 2000-01. From 2001-02 they were accounted for entirely on a resource accounting basis. To facilitate the change, both cash and resource accounts were published in 1999-2000 and 2000-01.

  In the year ended 31 March 2000, student loans were accounted on the basis of the Scottish Executive share of the Student Loan Company loan book, giving a balance of £458.554 million. In the year ended 31 March 2001 the Scottish Executive’s share of these loans was accounted for on the basis of the loans balances of students domiciled in Scotland. This meant that the opening balance of student loans was recalculated to be £420.880 million.

Teacher Training

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students completed physical education teaching courses in each of the last five years.

Mr Jim Wallace: The table below shows the numbers of graduates from physical education teacher training courses for the years 1998-99 to 2002-03 (the most recent year for which data are available at present).

  Teacher Training Graduates in Secondary Level Physical Education 1998-99 to 2002-03

  

Year
Graduates1,2


1998-99
60


1999-2000
65


2000-01
60


2001-02
100


2002-03
95



  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency.

  Notes:

  1. All numbers have been rounded to the nearest five.

  2. Includes Bachelor of Education (BEd) and Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) graduates from Scottish higher education institutions.